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Prosecution of Baal
The Prosecution of Baal, known formally as the Vizenko Prosecution, was a trial held on the planet Baal, at which the Apothecary Vizenko of the Warbringers Legion was tried for experiments on the Legiones Astartes gene-seed which strayed from the Emperor's vision and violated the privacy of other Legions. With the Emperor taking the judicial role in the prosecution, a vast cross-section of the Imperial aristocracy both military and political attended. The Path of Destiny After the first few years of transition, a crisis loomed within the Legiones Astartes that threatened to spill into conflict between the Emperor’s sons, and forced the Master of Mankind to emerge from His seclusion to resolve it. Yet the matter was entirely removed from the Warmaster, and had its roots in the early years of the Imperium. From the beginning, the Great Crusade sought to cleanse humanity of the foul mutations that had infected it. The pure human form was to be restored to its rightful place as as the reigning ideal for what was or was not human. Abhumans, with some exceptions, were terminated to preserve the genetic purity that was Mankind’s birthright, and genetic modification was used to bring divergent strands back in line with the genetic mainstream. Yet from such beginning, a challenge grew against a cornerstone of the Imperium. Soon, how, elements of the space marines began to argue that merely returning to past roots was short-sighted. Why restore when one could improve? Perhaps it was inevitable, when one remembers the elites’ infatuation with juvenat treatments, the Mechanicum’s endless attempts at mechanical immortality, and even the creation of the Space Marines, which showed what power could be coaxed from within humanity’s genome. The loudest, most eloquent advocates were five of the Primarchs: Kozja Darzalas, Ixiptatlan, Raktra Akarro, Sorrowsworn Morro, and the Jade General. While some proclaimed the untapped potential of humanity as the underlying reason for gene-manipulation, the Jade General’s declared goal was to eliminate what he deemed the greatest threat to Mankind’s survival. This menace was the existence of psykers. Citing instances from a dozen disparate worlds, in whichsuch individuals had unleashed terrible disasters on the innocent citizen, the Jade General proposed that it was in the Imperium’s best interest to gradually defeat the psyker gene in a plan that spanned centuries. The key to peace, in his view, was the creation of pariahs. The Jade General wished to create sustainable pariah populations on every planet, nullifying the damage a rogue psyker could inflict. In time, he foresaw all of humanity becoming pariahs, removing the threat of warpcraft for all time, while humanity developed another method of interstellar travel. Order and peace was what motivated the Jade General and his experiments, but to many his rigid pursuit of this goal spoke of obsession at best, and blatant prejudice at worst. Psykers were a matter of contention in the Legions, but Niklaas was the only other Primarch to outright oppose their use, and many served with honour as Librarians. Nonetheless, with the General’s scientific expertise, his support added considerable weight to those in favour of modification. Given the nature of the Drowned’s preferred battlefields, it was perhaps natural for Sorrosworn Morro to seek ways that would enhance his sons’ performance. Because no matter how well a man swims beneath the waves, what technology he employs to compensate, a man is a creature that was never born to be one with the water. Yet it is there that the Drowned had earned their name, fighting in order to cleanse the galaxy’s oceans of the Imperium’s enemies. So it was that Morro called for genetic manipulation. The public measures he proposed were minor in detail, but many suspected that once given the permission he sought, Morro would corrupt the purity of the human form to truly give his sons an edge in the harshest environs, far from Imperial oversight. Their tendency for secrecy had long been noted, and earned them much suspicion. Ixiptatlan’s brash calls for more marines had led him to develop unsanctioned procedures to accelerate the growth of his legion. Always walking the fine line between loyal service and fanaticism, few were surprised to see the Emperor’s son loudly proclaiming the need for more space marines to continue pushing the Great Crusade’s lines ever outward. While careful not to challenge the Emperor’s decrees outright, Ixiptatlan could often be heard explaining that there were other paths to augment the Imperium’s military forces without waiting for gene-seed implantation. It was a testament to Ixiptatlan’s position as one of the Emperor’s most zealous sons that many Imperial Army commanders would quietly agree that more space marines would be a boon to the Imperium. Raktra argued along similar lines to Morro, but approached the debate with far more venom. Gifted with the ability to see into almost any creature’s biology and discern their weaknesses, the Ashen King was contemptuous of any frailty. Unlike most people, blinded by the might of the Astartes to any faults they might bear, Raktra saw all their physical flaws laid bare. His demands, therefore, were simple - stronger, faster Astartes, freed from what psychological and emotional constraints they retained. Although he too pursued the same goals as his brothers, it was Kozja who rose above them to become the symbol for their cause. He saw the diversity of the Eighteen Legions - indeed, he was credited with solving gene-seed issues which had plagued several - and saw it as a hindrance to the Emperor’s work. It would be better, Kozja reasoned, if the space marines resembled a cohesive whole instead of eighteen shards. To that end, he studied the gene-seeds of his brothers’ legions and set out to create a Legion that encapsulated the strengths of all the legions in one. He was the one who earned the greatest acclaim, and perhaps inevitably it was he who would stand in judgement when the Emperor set His sights on this divisive issue. = A Conspirary Uncovered Yet it was not Kozja who would stand in the dock. That dubious honor went to Vizenko, the Atrifos of the Asklepians. This was a brotherhood of Legion apothecaries, human gene-wrights, and members of the Ordo Biologis created by the Primarch Kozja to fulfill his vision of the ultimate legion. As the Atrifos, Vizenko was the highest officer in this consortium and often served as Kozja’s Equerry in Warbringer matters. Possessing a brilliant mind and an unshakable will, Vizenko pushed the Asklepians to accomplish their mission with single-minded zeal. A key requirement was the collection of other legion gene-seeds to analyze and unlock the secrets within. It was in pursuit of this goal that he would reveal the true extent of the Ninth Legion’s experimentation. For no matter how noble the goal was, what Kozja hoped to accomplish was contrary to the will of the Emperor and a violation of the other Legions’ security and privacy. The one responsible for exposing the Warbringers was Alauros Ragnarval, Dryos of Clan Senoni. Like Vizenko, Ragnarval spent much time on his Legion gene-seed and was in the midst of experiments when Vizenko approached him, seeing a kindred spirit. Vizenko had gleaned something of what the Crimson Lions called the Burden: the blood-madness that plagued some of their Legion. Freely disclosing his objectives, he tried to convince his opposite number that the Warbringers’ projects held the key to the Lions’ trouble. Alas, Vizenko had made a terrible miscalculation. To Ragnarval, the similarities between the two marines’ research was only superficial, for Ragnarval sought to cure his Legion’s gene-seed of its defects, whereas Vizenko pursued a much greater change. The meeting turned violent - Ragnarval attacked the venerable Warbringer, scarring him. Vizenko’s life was spared when other Crimson Lions saved him from their enraged kinsman. Yet the damage was done. This revelation sparked heated debate across the Imperium. Was the human race denying itself a necessary step in its own evolution toward dominance? Or was this the path of damnation paved with shallow promises? More immediately, the confrontation brought the Warbringers and Crimson Lions into open dispute, and only the swift arrival of Gwalchavad prevented it from turning into outright fighting between the two Legions. To restore the peace, Alexandros turned to the Emperor Himself. Emerging from the Imperial Palace, the Master of Mankind declared that He would judge Vizenko personally and summoned the errant Warbringer to account for his actions. With tempers running so high, the Emperor could hardly hold court on Terra and wait for the disputants to reach Him. Instead, the court travelled to the radiation-soaked world of Baal, a planet which had once been infested by mutant tribes before the Crusade had seen them slain. Upon this world the Emperor commanded the building of a vast amphitheatre, designed by Niklaas of the Fire Keepers. Shielded by mighty shield generators, it included extensive apartments for both the disputants and the audience. It was here that the matter of gene manipulation would be put to rest. When the decree arrived on the command deck of the Restored Glory, Kozja Darzalas declared that he would represent his son as his legal counsel. While Kozja was pledging to defend, one of his brothers would assume the role of prosecutor. Alexandros deemed such a role to be too volatile for himself. Keenly aware of the tensions that his elevation had brought, he wished to stress the limits of his office as Warmaster. In his mind, for him to stand in judgement of a Legion in non-military matters was to risk harming the Crusade itself. Thus he limited his role to urging goodwill between his brothers, and concentrated his energies on a campaign alongside Koschei Kharkovic and Nomus Sardauk. Icarion, meanwhile, was unavailable, embroiled in a costly war beneath the galactic plane. So the role went to the master of the VIth Legion instead. One of the first Primarchs to be found by the Emperor, Daer'dd commanded respect as much for his technological brilliance as his might in war. He sought to uphold his Father’s ideals, and at the same time the controversy stirred strong feelings in him. When Malcador asked him to serve the Imperium as prosecutor in this fateful trial, he accepted without a second thought. Not without criticism did Daer’dd take his place in the coliseum. Some argued that his support for the extensive use of bionics rendered him unfit to influence proceedings. Daer’dd countered that the Huron had long made moderate use of genetic enhancement, and he supported research to benefit the species as a whole. His ire was for the path the Warbringers had taken. Regardless of the arguments, Daer’dd would serve. Nor would he be the only Primarch present. Although ostensibly a trial, a variety of ’witnesses’ would be given the chance to express their own views. Pionus, Azus, the Jade General, Sorrowsworn Morro, and Andezo would all travel to this momentous trial. Joining them were other famed and powerful individuals from every corner of the Imperium. Members of the War Council, Mechanicum Adepts, Imperial commanders, gene-smiths, and countless others took their seats, listening to every word over voxcasters. The Emperor presided above them all from His dais, while Malcador would take his place on the trial floor. From opposing stands, Kozja and Daer’dd faced each other. The Trial of a Legionary The actors assembled and the stage set, the Prosecution began with Daer’dd’s opening statements. Taking a hard line on Vizenko’s deeds, the Bear argued that the Warbringers’ apothecaries had stepped far out of line. They had quite brazenly sought the genetic lore of other Legions, coveting secrets which the Emperor had not seen fit to gift them. Daer’dd ominously hinted at dire consequences that might stem from those less gifted than the Emperor meddling with His creations. Kozja took issue with Daer’dd’s tone, calling his claims alarmist. Instead of unleashing a potential disaster, Kozja foresaw a humanity freed from the shackles of biological limitations. Disease, infirmity, and even age would bow before genetic mastery, and Mankind would be gifted with the most brilliant of leaders. Kozja pointed to Pionus Santor’s projects on Iona as proof of what could achieved with mortals. Such leaps would appear insignificant, should the far more important task of enhancing the Legions be properly attempted. The prosecutor and advocate's arguments finished, the first of the witnesses was called. A Mechanicum Adept who served with the Warbringers would be the first to testify, warning that unless humanity was willing to evolve in this hostile galaxy, they were doomed to eventual extinction. Daer’dd’s cross-examination of the tech-priest posited a counter-argument, however; the Astartes were not the product of evolution. Indeed, their own particular creation rendered them quite without parallel, incomparable to any augmented follower of the Omnissiah. Daer’dd charged Kozja with obfuscation, seeking to muddy the issue rather than defend his apothecary properly. The validity of their research was for the Emperor to decide. On and on it went as witness after witness claimed a chance to voice their opinion. Campaign logs were scrutinised, officers from the Legions and Army called to share their knowledge or suspicions of what had been done. Ragnarval took the stand early on, accusing Vizenko of confronting him with purloined lore of the III Legion’s genetics. Under questioning from Kozja he angrily brushed aside any suggestion that the Atrifos acted solely out of charity. Vizenko, the Crimson Lion declared, feigned concern to hide a dangerous obsession, whose roots lay in hubris. It was the Emperor’s express wish that proceedings be conducted coolly, on a foundation of respect and logic. Yet, as should already be apparent, this was little more than a hope with such a divisive issue. Often speakers strayed into discourse on the broader study of genetics, and had to be reminded to keep their input relevant to the trial. The longer the trial continued, the more inflamed passions became. Representatives from Knightly Houses Ohrlaac and Atreis nearly came to blows when Sir Alsahr Orhlacc took the opportunity to insult House Atreis as ‘being blinded by their own ignorance’. Sir Auctellar Ballador Servantes took umbrage, and the two sides were on the verge of charging each other before the Custodians forcibly put an end to it. Tensions between the Legions simmered throughout the trial, and when a XIV Legion officer gave his testimony, they burst into confrontation. Watcher Eazir Azdira’h had spoken a scant few words before a challenge sounded from the stands. Marching down toward the Dune Serpent was Prost Wilhelm, the Still-Shepherd, one of Raktra’s sons. The nature of the conflict resided not with the contentious topic of debate, but rather a previous encounter between the two Space Marine officers. Wilhelm - regarded by the Shepherds of Eden demi-Legion as something of an embarrassment - had remained with the Berserkers of Uran when the VIIth schismed, rather than besmirch his peculiar code of personal honour. Unusual though it was, his pride in upholding it was unshakeable, with all the fervour and aggression that made a space marine. Wilhelm claimed Azdira’h’s testimony was worthless, deeming the Serpent without honour for employing “craven” tactics during the Almutahar campaign. Azdira’h allowed the Still-Shepherd to finish before simply continuing his testimony. This incensed Wilhelm to break the codes governing honour duels, drawing his weapon then and there. Instantly, the Berserker froze beneath the Emperor’s gaze. With a command unseen and unheard, the Emperor summoned two Custodians who dragged Wilhelm away from the stand. On the third day, as the time of the Emperor’s judgement neared, it would be the Drowned who would be recorded to present the last apologia for the cause of genetic mastery. Yet, the Primarch Morro was absent, mired in a campaign against the brutish Orks and had sent two of his sons, Boræo and Hennasohn, to represent him. They repeated their gene-sire’s words, emphasizing the real consequence of such archaic beliefs measured in the lives of fallen Drowned lost to the strange beasts of the galaxy’s oceans. Their plea was answered by none other than the Baron of Mardum himself, Andezo Sambedi. Although the Predators' Primarch was one of the few to enjoy any semblance of friendship with the infamous Raktra, on this matter, his will was clear and he declared the Warbringers' deeds to be a severe transgression, riddled with hubris. His words were few, and soon it was time for the accused to speak. Closing Arguments Vizenko now stood to defend his actions, and like Kozja, he claimed that no crime had been committed. Inter-Legion secrecy was not mandated by any formal statute, and in any case it was far outweighed by the imperative to delve into the secrets of gene-science. With a clinical tone, sparing no unflattering detail, Vizenko listed the tensions between Legions, and claimed them to be a hindrance not only to the Crusade, but to the governance of the Imperium. A single race of Astartes would symbolise the virtue of Unity, and the process would empower them to transcend their current limitations. Technology would be shared among all Space Marines, strategic doctrine would be unified. They would become, Vizenko claimed, humanity’s natural leaders in all matters military and political, not just those systems with historic ties to a Legion. This too, he saw only in terms of its benefits. Mortal weakness would be stripped out of the Imperium, bringing prosperity and adding yet more to its strength. Daer’dd, tiring of this, noted that Vizenko had not identified any problem on the Warbringers’ part that had caused rancour, and suggested that Vizenko intended only to impose his Legion’s culture over the rest. Vizenko retorted that the Warbringers’ flaw was to be surrounded by those who failed to match their vision and railed against it instead. He argued that for the sake of the Imperium’s prosperity and security, mortal frailties of body and mind should be cut out of its upper echelons. Next Pionus Santor took the stand. He had been found just a year after Kozja, and the two often appeared as rivals. Each took an interest in medicine, but while Kozja dedicated himself to genetics, Pionus turned his hand to bio-artificing. Even during his youth on Iona, Pionus had worked to strengthen his people through this science, and he worked toward a day when all Mankind might enjoy such gifts. His projects moved slowly, however, and he refrained from delving into the Astartes gene-seed. Some conjectured that Pionus was too conservative to venture as far as Kozja and the Jade General in his studies, or preferred to work towards enhancing the mortal form. Others went further and claimed that he envied those who had outstripped his achievements. Whatever the truth, he gave no indication of wishing to testify through most of the trial, leaving his officers to speak of what they had seen and heard. Vizenko’s speech, it seems, jolted Pionus into speaking, although others claim that he waited for the opportunity to attack Kozja’s achievements. First he disputed the Jade General's claims against psykers, arguing that it was a gross fallacy to try and excise the psyker gene from humanity. He then turned his attention to the wider question of gene-manipulation. Both bio-artificing and genetic augmentation, Pionus argued, had their place in securing the strength and happiness of all Mankind. He spoke of humans given the chance to live longer, to thrive in environments that were currently too hostile for them to colonise. But all of this would have to wait, he claimed. Such momentous changes would have to be implemented gradually and right across the spectrum of society. Otherwise they would risk the stratification of humanity itself along genetic lines. Already elements of this process could be seen in the use of counter-aging treatments among the Knight Houses, the Solar Auxilia and indeed the upper echelons of both the Imperium’s generals and governors. To add genetic modification into the mix or make rulers of Astartes right across the Galaxy would create something far more ominous. This genetic aristocracy, as he called it, would come to regard their lessers as their servants and little more. Kozja’s and Vizenko’s aspirations carried precisely those risks. The Astartes straddled that line already, and to alter them further was dangerous, let alone at the speed Kozja intended. The Space Marines were meant to defend Mankind, not to rule them. Kozja was endangering that defence, and the stability of the Imperium itself, with his zealous pursuit of a dubious goal. Despite Pionus' intentions, the Warbringers took umbrage at the insult they perceived in his words. No sooner had the Primarch taken his seat than First Knyaz Perkenas stood to demand a formal honour duel with a representative of the Scions. Second Captain Odyssalas was swiftly nominated by the Synedrion and for half an hour the arena served a quite different purpose to that it was constructed for. Exploiting the greater reach of his glaive and his opponent's anger, Odyssalas eventually won by drawing first blood, but onlookers noted that he showed little satisfaction, despite the prowess and reputation of his opponent. In truth, it was a soured victory for Odyssalas, as he and his brothers knew events would now be misconstrued as a deliberate move by the Scions to see the Warbringers disgraced. Kozja certainly took it as such. In Pionus he saw small-mindedness and jealousy, and he castigated his brother for ennobling lesser men out of sentimentality. Warming to his subject, he declared that Vizenko’s deeds could only be seen as a crime by those who failed to recognise the goal he sought. Moreover, he continued, the proceedings had illustrated precisely the disunity that plagued the Astartes. To the mounting shock of those present, he began to reel off genetic flaws and military setbacks that had troubled many of the Legions, declaring that his work would undo them and that any who opposed it stood for weakness and atrophy. Faint hearts would keep Mankind in thrall to the weaknesses that had almost undone the species. If it was to thrive, it needed to adapt, it needed the finest rulers it could get. And if lesser bloodlines were denied a chance of greatness? Well, that was just the logical conclusion to how the Imperium was already organised. The hopes of the common people were irrelevant to the needs of the species. How many thousands were broken and discarded in the trials and procedures that made the Legions, he asked. Any objections he denounced as moral squeamishness that ignored the truth of the Imperium, or a failure to comprehend what was needed. But Kozja had undone himself with his fiery rhetoric and zeal for his project. Exposing the true scope of his ambition outraged many of those who had previously been advocates for Vizenko. Each was a warlord who had spent decades moulding his sons in a particular image. The brazen arrogance of Kozja’s demand for a single, superior Legion appalled them as much as the Warbringers’ furtive acquisition of gene-seed. Clamour shook the chamber until, at a signal from one individual, it died away. 'The Emperor's Verdict' Now the Emperor stirred from His throne to enact judgement. He began with benevolent praise for both sides of the divide who only desired to strengthen Mankind’s rightful place as masters of the galaxy, to the voices who had argued for their respective sides, and for Kozja’s scientific prowess. Unfortunately, the Emperor declared, while Kozja’s intentions were laudable, he had overstepped himself. It was with purpose that the Emperor had crafted such disparate Legions, and Kozja’s goal of melding them showed that he did not understand his place within the Crusade. The Emperor declared that the matter of genetic manipulation had proven too great of a temptation for His sons’ misplaced ambitions. Therefore, He issued a ban that until He returned from His mission on noble Terra, the entire field of genetic modification was forbidden to the Legiones Astartes, except for the mildest of efforts in medical application. Upon His return, He assured all present that the matter would be reopened for debate. Finally, Vizenko, Kozja, and the whole of the Warbringer legion would be punished for their overzealous experiments. As the one who officially stood in judgement, Vizenko was immediately stripped of his rank and forbidden from his crafts. Never again would he use his expertise in science for either war or peace. The Asklepian Order was to be henceforth disbanded for all of time. Furthermore, the Warbringer’s Apothecarion was to be reduced to a third of its size, its members given the choice to simply return to line duty or to continue in their medical duties, but scattered amongst the other legions. To ensure compliance to the Emperor’s will, the Adeptus Custodes would personally oversee the enforcement of the Emperor’s decree. As for Kozja Darzalas, the Emperor reserved no legal sanction but publicly declared His disappointment in His son, a humiliation that no other Primarch had yet suffered. The last words of the Vizenko Prosecution came from Kozja, who swore he would obey the Emperor’s commandments and restore his and his Legion’s honour forthwith. Drunk with victory, some of the more extreme elements of the Purity faction demanded that the other legions who had defended the Warbringers be investigated as well. Who knew what secrets the Drowned kept or what excesses the Eagle Warriors had committed in their zeal? Despite their volume, the Emperor refused them. His new decree stood, and the Warbringers were now an example of the Emperor’s judgement. He would not begin a witch hunt without credible evidence of wrongdoing, lest He besmirch the honour of the entire Legiones Astartes. Instead, the Chaplain Order that existed in some Legions would be expanded, and its members given the task of ensuring their brothers obeyed the Emperor’s writ. This would be the last public act of the Emperor before His return to the secrecy of Terra. Aftermath With the Emperor’s departure, the other attendees of Baal gradually went their separate ways, the radioactive world returning to its past existence as a recruitment world after its brief spotlight in history. The Custodians selected for oversight departed immediately and soon squads of the Ten Thousand were settling in to each of the Warbringer fleets. Given the choice to surrender their medicae skills or to be banished from the legion, many Warbringer apothecaries chose banishment, most hoping to redeem their legion’s honour in the eyes of their cousins, while others could not bear to part with a skill that had taken decades to master. Among the other legions, these exiles would meet a variety of receptions. A few legions outright refused their service, such as the Dune Serpents and the Crimson Lions. Others granted them entry, though they would endure suspicion and many attempts at correcting flaws in their thinking as often occurred in the Scions Hospitaliers, Predators, and the Iron Bears legions. Many who served along the Halcyon Wardens, the Void Eagles, and the Grave Stalkers were treated with respect and allowed to carry on their duties with little oversight. Lastly, the contingents of Warbringers who served alongside the likes of the Berserkers and the Warriors of Peace would find kindred spirits who shared their vexation. As to their parent legion, mere days after the Warbringers were declared of achieving compliance, Kozja announced the legion would invade the Htohtos-Goy Sector. Occupying the sector was a cruel and malevolent xeno race known as the Soladnit. For over a decade, these vile aliens had beaten back three separate Imperial incursions, wielding hideous powers that threatened both mind and body. Located a considerable distance from more important targets and given the hostility of its defenders, it had been deemed a tertiary objective and would meet its final fate some time in the future when the Imperium had the resources to spare. Kozja swore that he would not allow them to endure another decade. The Warbringers would exterminate this virulent threat to humanity and restore their honour. His sons fought with a grim fury as he led them into a campaign that lasted four years and cost the lives of thousands of Warbringers before Kozja slew the last of the Soladnit. The last concern to be accounted for was the infamous Vizenko himself. While acclaimed quietly in many quarters as a martyr to fearful hesitance and unwillingness to accept his genius, officially he was persona non grata even within his own Legion. Along with his closest acolytes, Vizenko acquired a ship a few days after the Prosecution was concluded. With minimal crew, it entered the Warp, its last report purposely mangled when command inquired of its destination. The Custodians angrily demanded to know how this had been allowed to transpire and scoured the Legion’s data-cores, but no evidence was found. A hunt for the Atrifos ensued, but to no avail. The prevailing theory was that he had sought sanctuary on the edges of the Maelstrom, where no Imperial ship could penetrate the turbulent regions of space. Had he indeed embarked upon this course, he and his retinue would most assuredly have perished. All the same, the Legions tightened the watch on their borders as one, and the Crimson Lions made a point of seeking him as they fought their way into the far reaches of the Galaxy. Consequences In retrospect, Baal emerges as an important stepping-stone on the path to ruin, stoking resentment in those frustrated by the verdict. Others, already nursing reservations about the post-Qarith order, had their concerns calcified by these events. Doubts spread furtively about the Warmaster’s ability to hold the Crusade together, and led to further questioning of the Emperor’s withdrawal to Terra. The sight of an Astartes condemned and a Legion shamed stuck in the craw, even if one agreed that it was just. The brittle pride of the Warbringers was inflamed, and by extension the haughty masters of the Legio Mortis too burned with resentful shame. Moreover, their long-cherished goal was now withheld from them by the Emperor Himself. A bold minority suggested that perhaps the Emperor feared that His creations might exceed His own achievements, and this was the motive behind the prohibition. The hidden hands that worked to orchestrate the betrayal would find the Warbringers all too easy to bend to their purpose. For the Warmaster, there was no escape from controversy, despite his best efforts. The difference between masterful restraint and tact, and cowardly impotence, became largely a matter of perspective. When Alexandros set off for Terra, shortly after concluding the Maelynos Suppression, it was taken by several Primarchs as a sign of the Warmaster kowtowing to mortal bureaucrats instead of properly fulfilling his role. Kozja’s enmity would only burn hotter as a result. While Alexandros won concessions from the Council of Terra on the taxation of newly compliant worlds and political oversight of the Legions, resentment often served to blot these out. The Jade General grew increasingly troubled that the threat of psykers was not recognised. Abandoning his experiments after the Prosecution, he took to agitating against the use of psykers in the Legions. In this, however, few of his brothers would support him, and the Council of Terra did not deign to address the matter. The Jade General resolved to wait for the sort of crisis he associated with the psyker gene, and while his laboratories were silent, his extensive records were preserved. Discreetly, he compiled vast amounts of data on psyker appearances across the Imperium, seeking patterns to one day use in support of his ambitions. When Icarion came, offering him the freedom to resume his studies, the Jade General readily accepted. Nomus and Koschei looked on in consternation at the division of the Primarchs and the way that the Emperor seemed to enforce it. It may appear strange that Koschei, whose idealism led him in such a different direction to Darzales’ love of hierarchy, was so affected by the plight of a brother with whom he disagreed so greatly. But to Koschei, the Prosecution highlighted many of the apparent hypocrisies in Imperial society; no planetary governor was forbidden from extending his life while his subjects were ground down by a life of hard labour. Moreover, with several Primarchs diminished politically, the Council of Terra was emboldened to act without consulting them, frequently butting heads with the Warmaster. Raktra and Morro accepted the verdict with a surprising lack of rancour, but this was only outward. The Drowned, secretive and taciturn, were conducting experiments in other fields without the knowledge of the Emperor. It seems that the Chaplains were as enthralled to Morro as any of their brothers, despite the precaution of keeping them apart for much of their training. Raktra seethed at the introduction of Chaplains into his Legion, seeing base hypocrisy in the Edict. Only pragmatism kept him obedient, and when the opportunity came to cast off his ties to the Emperor, the execution of the Vth Legion Chaplains was transmitted to Terra as a statement of defiance. All of this, Ixiptatlan watched, shrouded by his pretence of absolute loyalty. He offered up his own Chaplains to keep watch over other Legions, and so exploited the Edict to drip poison into the ears of his brothers. In their resentment, many were all too willing to listen, even if Ixiptatlan knew that true corruption was not yet feasible, and he needed Icarion to light the fuse of insurrection. The unseen web grew, soon to ensnare several of the Primarchs. Notable Individuals in Attendance at the Prosecution Judge * The Emperor: Even in these latter years, it is frowned upon to speculate at the Emperor's hidden plans, and it is impossible to accurately guess His intentions for a trial which He seemed as surprised by, as any other party. Neutral * Constantin Valdor, Captain-General of the Custodian Guard Member of the Defense Faction - Proponents of Experimentation * Kelbor-Hal, Fabricator-General of Mars * Mortera, Fabricator-General of Nox * Lord Militant Jaacos Nürada, Muster of the Imperialis Auxilia * Kozja Darzalas, Lord of the IX Legion**: Adamantly in favour * The Jade General, Lord of the XVII Legion** * Raktra Akarro, Lord of the VII Legion* * Ixiptatlan, Lord of the Eagle Warriors Member of the Prosecution Faction - Against Experimentation * Amertigona Vespusshi, Paternova of the Novis Nobilite: Vehemently Against * Azus Bahmut, Lord of the XIV Legion: Vehemently against * Daer'dd Niimkiikaa, Lord of the VI Legion: Favoured Darzalas' censure * Pionus Santor, Lord of the XIX Legion: Vehemently against * Andezo Sambedi, Lord of the XX Legion*: Vehemently against No known stance * Malcador the Sigillite, High Proconsul Imperialis Stances of dignitaries not present Neutral * Icarion Anasem, Lord of the I Legion * Yucahu Sumakutaa, Lord of the IV Legion: Officially favoured neither side, but known to favour Darzalas' censure * Alexandros Darshan VonSalim, Warmaster of the Imperium, Lord of the V Legion: Although on record as being against experimentation, emphasized unity and respect for the Emperor's decision * Koschei Kharkovic, Lord of the VIII Legion* * Gwalchavad, Lord of the XII Legion * K'awil Pakal, Lord of the XV Legion* Member of the Defense Faction - Proponents of Experimentation * Ixiptatlan, Lord of the XIII Legion* * Sorrowsworn Morro, Lord of the XVI Legion* * Nomus Sardauk, Lord of the XVIII Legion**: Less vocal proponent of experimentation Member of the Prosecution Faction - Against Experimentation * Hectarion Mycenor, Lord of the III Legion: Vehemently against and sought the censure of the entire IXth Legion * Niklaas, Lord of the X Legion: Did not favour experimentation * These leaders later threw their support behind the Stormlord during the darker days of the Icarion Insurrection ** These leaders later threw their support behind the False Empire of the Suzerainty Note: Still need the stances of Niklaas, Gwal, Mortera, and K'awil. I've put in Icarion's stance, figuring his aura would confuse most people who asked him about the stance, leading everyone to assume that he was neutral. I still want the Paternova's input since genetic experimentation would concern the Navigators more than the Astra Telepathica. Category:Event Category:Imperial History